Whenever you move a stone
or piece of rotting wood in the garden, you are likely
to see a whole bunch of little critters scurrying away.
These are all part of that group of organisms called
decomposers. Sowbugs and pillbugs fall into this
category.
They are not insects but,
rather, are lumped with the crustaceans, a group of
animals that includes lobsters and shrimp. Sowbugs and
pillbugs have segmented bodies, many legs and a hard
shell. They feed primarily at night on decaying organic
matter.
These critters do no
damage and there is no need for treatment of them in the
landscape. If they invade the home, the key is to find a
way to limit their access and to remove the moisture
from the area.
